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Culture for Fantasy Fiction

Some
people consider philosophy to be a science. Remember, science uses measurement
and testing to prove hypothesises.

Philosophies
are not testable, but nonetheless still exist. They exist because humans
constructed them, and believe them. Belief is major part of existence in fantasy
fiction writing.

AESTHETICS

Aesthetic
beauty is subjective. What characters find attractive will depend on each of your
created cultures views.

Beauty
is in the eye of the beholder, or was it beer-holder? What I find beautiful will
not match others views, and views change.

We all
do have one thing in common. We all feel the same when finding things beautiful.
If one person loves red, the other blue, they will both feel the same about their
colours.

Think
about personal and global beauty standards. Just as everyone has their own opinion
on aesthetics, these opinions combine, forming cultural standards. Individuals will
love breaking these though.

ETHICS

With
ethics, you can think about what constitutes your cultures thoughts on manners,
etiquette and taboos. A few topics to muse upon include the following: -

·Clothing - Wearing inappropriate outfits

·Insults - Words, Signs, Actions, Space

·Food - Preparation, Presentation, and Formal Dining

·Greetings - Handshakes, Bows, Kisses, Waves, Hand Signals

·Citizenship - Charity, Peace, Forgiveness

EQUALITY

Your
citizens may have fundamental human rights. Social hierarchy including governments,
monarchy and the class system can infringe or abuse these rights. Some are not
currant human rights, but may be in alternate futures.

Cultures
may expect certain rights. This lists some, but they don’t show the true scale
of rights received globally.

RIGHTS

Needs

·Life -
Citizens need right to life.

·Death - Citizens need right to death.

·Water - Citizens need right to water.

·Food -
Citizens need right to food.

·Parenthood - Citizens need right to reproduce.

·Protection - Citizens need right to arms.

·Education - Citizens need right to learning cultural norms.

Prejudices

·Gender - All sexes free from oppression.

·Sexuality - All sexualities free from oppression.

·Age - All
ages free from oppression.

·Religion - All religions free from oppression.

·Thought - All thoughts free from oppression.

·Speech - All words free from oppression.

·Conscience - All opinions free from oppression.

Freedoms

·Trials - Citizens have freedom to fair trials and justice system.

·Punishment - Citizens have freedom to receive just punishments.

·Truth - Citizens have freedom to truthful information.

·Trade - Citizens have freedom from trade restrictions.

·Prosperity - Citizens have freedom from government restrictions.

·Torture - Citizens have freedom from torture.

·Slavery - Citizens have freedom from slavery.

FAMILY

In the UK, there is a saying; an average family has
2.4 children, but this is far from normal. You can decide what the norm is.

This lists common family unity types, but you can
invent your own home life structure type. As well as these, parents can
remarry, have same-sex relationships, adopt children or even artificially
create people. This is fantasy after all.

·Nuclear/Elemental - This consists of a mother, father and their
children.

·Step/Foster - This comprises of children living with
non-biological parents.

·Single - One parent can raise children alone or be single.

·Extended - A large related family consisting of more than one bloodline or two
generations can live together.

·Group - Large non-related families with more than two parents and children
may cohabit.